Fatal Strike
by Link015
Summary: Stories from all over Elibe. Warriors from every end of the continent. Each with their own destinies and their own desires and quests. Each fighting for their own goals. And everything they desire all lead to a single man, Nergal.
1. Eliwood’s Tale: Part 1, Revenge

Chris: Came up with this idea when I was trying to sleep. Yep. It's like if Fire Emblem made a console fighting game. Like Guilty Gear or something. Obviously, since there are like…50+ characters in FE, I'm not gonna be writing a chapter on all of them. All the characters _will_ be in it, just not all of them will have a story tailored to their needs.

Disclaimer: Don't own Fire Emblem.

Note: The first part in the story is _always_ a bio/background/character tactics/fighting style/move explanation thing on the character. _Always. _And at the end there's probably a weapon description. And since I'm too lazy to come up with new last names, I'll be using the last names from Battle for Supremacy. Just thought you'd like to know.

Oh, and this doesn't follow the storyline of FE 7 to the letter. Eliwood has Durandal a lot earlier.

* * *

**Eliwood's Tale: Part 1, Revenge**

_**Name:** Eliwood Califex  
__**Age:** 19  
__**Height:** 5' 10"  
__**Blood Type:** A  
__**Threat Rating:** A-_

_**Background:** _

_The only prince of Pherae, Eliwood was raised to be the perfect leader. Charming, handsome, skilled, and gentle, he was seen as the beacon of light to a suffering world. Granted, Eliwood might have been the greatest lord that the continent of Elibe had ever seen. However, with the disappearance of his father, Eliwood embarked on his lonely quest to find him. Eliwood **did** find his father, but he was too late and arrived in time only to see his father die in the hands of Nergal. Seeing his father die right in front of him sent Eliwood into an emotional decline into extreme depression. Only with the help of his friends Hector and Lyn, as well as his girlfriend Ninian was he able to break out of his deep funk. _

_However, that was not the end to his troubles. Just when he regained his former zeal, he heard that Castle Pherae, where his mother was staying, was attacked and razed. It was recorded that there were no survivors. The loss of his mother and of his castle plunged Eliwood into another depression, this time sinking him farther into his pit of despair. But, once he heard who the perpetrator was of the attack on his castle, he swore vengeance on that man and now travels with his faithful retainer Marcus and his loyal bodyguard, Lowen. And who was the person who ordered the attack on Castle Pherae? None other than his father's killer, Nergal._

_**Ultimate Techniques:** Vengeance Strike, Camaraderie_

_---_

Eliwood stretched as he walked through the streets of Badon. He had heard that Nergal had his base of operations set on Valor Isle. Rumors said that no one had ever returned from traveling there and that fierce, magical winds would pick up whenever you came within a mile of the island. Granted, he thought that the rumors were just pieces of bullshit, but unfortunately, sailors and pirates always believed in silly superstitions. Unfortunately, he hadn't been able to convince anyone to give him passage there, but Eliwood wouldn't give up.

'_You bastard, Nergal. I swear I will be there to smash your face onto those cold stones!'_ Eliwood gritted his teeth, envisioning his sword slicing off Nergal's neck.

"Milord!" Marcus, a grizzled purple-haired paladin, rode up to Eliwood. He dismounted from his steed and kneeled towards the lord. "I have searched all of the docks on the west side of Badon. No one desires to take us to Valor Isle. I am truly sorry, my lord. If only I had been more persuasive…"

Eliwood smiled faintly. "No, it's not your fault, Marcus. These people…They're just too scared. They are afraid of dying in an unknown land. It is not any fault of yours or of theirs that we don't have passage." He kicked at a pebble on the cobblestone pavement. "But I wish we had a way to get there. I cannot rest until my parents have been avenged."

"Milord…" Marcus looked up.

"But I'll find a way. Even if I have to swim there myself." Eliwood clenched his fist and turned as he saw his other vassal, Lowen, ride up to him. "What news, Lowen?"

"Milord! I have found someone who will take us to Valor Isle!" Lowen, his eyes shining happily under his mop of sea-green hair. Lowen dismounted from his horse and kneeled. "A pirate by the name of Fargus is offering us passage to Valor Isle!" He stood. "He is the only one I was able to convince, though."

"Pirates…hmmm…" Eliwood looked thoughtful. "True, pirates are more courageous than most, but they are wily people. I do not believe for a second that they will offer us passage without some sort of additional condition other than payment." The red-haired lord gave a shrug. "But, if pirates are our only chance, then pirates it shall be."

"Very well!" Marcus mounted his horse. "I am ready when you are, my lord. Come, Lowen."

"Yes, sir!" Lowen mounted his own steed and looked at his lord. "We are ready for wherever your path takes us!"

"I thank you both for your loyalty and service…" Eliwood smiled ruefully. "I know you two will always be at my side." He patted the sword sheath at his belt, where his rapier, and more importantly, the legendary blade Durandal, rested. "Well, let's go meet up with some pirates!"

_---_

"My lord…Something seems amiss…" Marcus muttered to Eliwood as they walked down an open path towards the pirate docks.

"…" Eliwood looked around. Marcus was right. Sure, there were birds in the air and it was still sunny, but something still seemed to be missing. Then he realized what was missing. There were no people around. Cautious, Eliwood placed his right hand loosely on the hilt of his sword, ready to bring it out at the slightest hint of trouble. Marcus and Lowen took out their weapons as well, Marcus holding a lance tipped with silver and Lowen holding a wide blade made of steel.

Eliwood looked at the pathway ahead of him and froze. Likewise, Marcus and Lowen reined in their horses and stared in astonishment at the person who was standing in front of them. Eliwood staggered forward, stunned and confused.

"M-Mother?" Eliwood stumbled forward a gain, staring at the face of his mother. His mother only smiled and held out her hands toward him, her priestess robes falling around her. (A/N: I heard somewhere that Eleanora has a bishop sprite. Hence, she's a priestess in this fic.)

Eliwood dashed up to his mother and wrapped his arms around her, pulling her close to him. "M-Mother…I thought you were dead…" Tears flowed from the lord's eyes.

"Lady Eleanora!" Both Marcus and Lowen leapt off of their horses and kneeled towards her. The purple-haired woman laughed lightly.

"On your feet, Marcus and Lowen. There is no need to kneel to me." Eleanora smiled. "And…Eliwood, it is so good to see you again…my dear son."

Eliwood could only continue holding his mother, whom he thought was dead. "How…How did you survive the attack on Castle Pherae?" He looked at her face. She still looked the same. Her purple-violet hair, her gentle smile, her golden eyes…Wait. Eliwood looked again. Yep. Golden eyes. His mother never had golden eyes. Eliwood jumped backwards, just as a dagger slashed through his side.

"Who the hell are you and who sent you?" Eliwood unsheathed his rapier, pointing it at the copy of his mother.

"Lord Eliwood! That isn't Lady Eleanora?" Marcus looked up.

"No! It's some sort of copy! Get your weapons!" Eliwood shouted. Eleanora just sheathed her dagger and stared helplessly at Eliwood. The lord glared at the copy. "Answer me! NOW!"

Eleanora grinned wickedly and spread her arms wide, shaking loose a couple of wrinkles in her robes. "You already know him. There's no need to tell you any more."

"It's gotta be Nergal! Either way, I'll tear out the answer from your corpse, you copy! Marcus! Lowen! Let's get rid of her!" Eliwood charged at the copy, but stopped when she brought up a hand.

"No. We fight one-on-one. Unless you're afraid of being defeated by a mere copy."

"There's a difference between being brave and being smart."

"Come on. One-on-one. You'll enjoy. Test out your skills." Eleanora smirked. "Think about it. It's the only way you'll fight _me_, at least. If your lackeys come after me, then I'll just warp out of the way and stab you in the back when you least expect it."

Eliwood frowned. "Very well. Lowen! Marcus! You know what to do! Out of the fight." He looked quizzically at the copy. "Can they still support me?"

"Of course. Now are you ready?"

"Definitely." Eliwood smirked at the copy. "I don't know if you realized it, but mimicking my mother is a great way to get yourself **killed!**" He charged at Eleanora again, slashing his sword horizontally. His sword rebounded off a magical shield that Eleanora had constructed and he leaped backwards, quickly going into a defensive stance in case of retaliation.

The copy smiled and formed a spear of light with her hands and threw it at Eliwood. The light clashed against Eliwood's sword and passed through, plunging deep into Eliwood's soul. The lord was tossed backwards a couple of feet, coughing up blood. He pushed himself up and grimaced.

"Forgot. Weapons really weren't made to counteract magical attacks…" Eliwood smiled. "I won't make that mistake again…" He saw a little pebble on ground and picked it up with his free hand. Eliwood attacked the copy again, lunging forward with his rapier. Once again, the sword was repelled, but as Eliwood moved his body to adjust, he threw the pebble at the copy's head, where it knocked against the copy's head.

"Hmph. Magical shields can only handle one disturbance at a time. Better knock off the trick shields and get serious." Eliwood attacked again, this time lashing out with his foot. His foot rebounded off of the shield and Eliwood took his chance to thrust forward with his rapier, piercing and breaking the shield as well as stabbing the copy right through the stomach.

The copy coughed up blood and grimaced. "Hmph…" She waved one arm in the air, summoning thousands of tiny shards to materialize in front of her. With her other arm, she summoned little globes of light that hovered around her. With one word, the shards launched themselves towards Eliwood while the globes of light slowly healed the copy's wounds.

Eliwood's eyes widened and he jumped to the side, dodging most of the shards. However, some pierced his body, making shallow cuts that bled slowly. The lord grimaced and pushed himself up. He glared at the copy. With her ability to heal, this fight would take hours, maybe even days. His endurance wasn't good enough to allow him to fight nonstop for days.

He took a quick look backwards, where he saw Marcus and Lowen arranging a large pile of javelins and spears. Smiling grimly, Eliwood nodded at them. Marcus nodded back.

"Time to die!" Eliwood threw himself at the barrier, using his body as a weapon.

"What are you talking about?" The copy laughed. "You don't even have a weapon left!"

"Not true…" Eliwood slammed against the barrier, the weight of his body collapsing the shield slightly. He grinned as he was reflected off of it. There were two reasons why he had thrown himself at his foe. One was to deal damage to that magic barrier. The second was to focus his opponent's sight on himself. So that way, the copy wouldn't be able to see what was coming.

The copy gasped as she saw the shower of javelins and spears that was headed for her. The magical shield quickly crumbled under the onslaught and the remaining spears and javelins lodged in her body, slicing through her arms, her legs, her chest, her stomach, everywhere. And when the shower was over, there was Eliwood, standing right in front of her, holding a sword that was over six feet in length.

The copy gasped and coughed, blood running freely out of her mouth and her wounds. She looked down at the rapier that was stuck in her stomach. "I thought…You had no more weapons…"

Eliwood sneered. "That was your first mistake." He brought down his sword down diagonally, tearing a huge gash through the middle of her body, cutting through the copy's skin, flesh, and organs.

"Your second mistake was thinking that you would win!" He roared and slashed downwards. He brought his sword, Durandal, up one last time and looked at the copy with shadowed eyes.

"And your last mistake was impersonating my mother! NO ONE **_EVER_** DOES THAT!" Eliwood sliced the copy in half in his rage. The copy exploded into dust and ash which settled around the panting Eliwood. Lowen and Marcus walked up to him.

"Are you okay, milord?" Marcus looked concernedly at the red-haired man.

"Yes…I'm…just fine…" Eliwood slid the Durandal back into its sheath. "Nothing…wrong…" He looked at his rapier that was lying on the ground, stained with the copy's blood. Eliwood picked up the weapon and looked at it, feeling the slick blood with his fingers. Yelling a curse, he flung it into the open ocean. "Come on. We've got some pirates to see."

"Yes, milord." Marcus and Lowen remounted their horses and they continued on their mission to kill the man who had caused all of this, Nergal.

"By the way, milord, I thought you promised that we could only support you." Lowen looked at Eliwood, who was wearing a small smile.

"I never said what kind of support it was. If the copy was stupid enough to not realize I meant long-distance support, then she was an idiot." Eliwood snickered. "Besides, you guys knew what to do."

"Swarm her and kill her if you were losing?" Marcus looked down from his steed.

"Exactly." Eliwood shrugged. "Like I said. There's a big difference between being smart and being brave."

_---_

**_Eliwood's Magic Sword - Durandal_**

_Eliwood's main weapon is the Durandal. A sword that measures almost over six feet in length, its might and durability are unrivaled in the land. It is around one foot and three inches in width and it is a double-bladed weapon and its edge length is four inches. Naturally, it is extremely heavy. However, because of the magic inherent in the blade, Eliwood, a man not renowned for his strength, may wield it with ease. Things that are best noted with this weapon is that its size and length require the user to utilize like a polearm or staff rather than a sword._

_Durandal is not a weapon for quick and easy strikes. Heavy, powerful slashes are what the Durandal excels at. However, this weakness can also be turned into a blessing due to the weapon's inherent magic properties. Not only does it have a lesser weight than another weapon with the same statistics, but it also has the ability to shrink, which explains how Eliwood can carry it around. If you can utilize this property well enough, it is possible to transform the weapon into a dagger or into a workable short sword. _

* * *

Chris: If you don't like my boring little analytical speeches on the weapons…Oh well. I'm still putting them in. Blah.

Review if you wish.


	2. Eliwood’s Tale: Part 2, Collateral

Chris: Here's the next chapter. I have the next couple chapters planned in my head, so yeah. This'll probably be my fastest updater here. For a while, at least.

Farina: If you don't work on Fire Emblem Halloween, I'm gonna gut you.

Chris: Bah. Don't make me write a story where you get hooked up with Wallace, okay? To make it worse, I could do a weird crossover and get you stuck with Valter.

Farina: Hmph.

**SpeedDemon315: **Thanks for the compliments, and yes, Nergal did go too far. Of course, he didn't just kill Lady Eleanora. He killed other people as well. You'll find out as the other character's tales go on. And if you mean Hector and Lyn, they have different agendas, so they're split up for the moment.

**Lao Who Mai: **Yes, yes they should. An FE fighting game would totally be awesome. Eliwood might actually be a respected character, coughNotcough. And yeah, it's kinda AU.

Note: Some bad language (like the F-word) and _maybe_ explicit scenery. I dunno. You've been warned.

* * *

**Eliwood's Tale: Part 2, Collateral**

_**Name:** Lowen Teritsu  
__**Age:** 17  
__**Height:** 5' 10"  
__**Blood Type:** 0  
__**Threat Rating:** C_

_**Background:** _

_A loyal cavalier under Marcus' tutelage, Lowen is a zealous, overeager teenager who specializes in strong and quick attacks. He was born in Pherae, where he immediately enrolled himself in the military academy when he was old enough. Since he still is a novice in battle at best, he is not considered much of a threat, but with training, Lowen might become a major asset of Eliwood's. One thing that is unknown about Lowen is the reason as to why he keeps his hair over his eyes. Some say it is so people cannot look into his eyes, for they are the windows to the soul. And others just say it's because he's lazy._

_**Ultimate Techniques: **Flying Dragon, Best Effort_

_**Name:** Marcus Sandlin  
__**Age:** 29  
__**Height:** 6' 1"  
__**Blood Type:** A  
__**Threat Rating:** B_

_**Background:** _

_A veteran in the art of war, Marcus is deadly and well-versed in tactics. A renowned warrior in the ranks of Pheraen soldiers, Marcus has his own task force that is devoted to rooting out local bandit gangs. The paladin is skilled with various types of weapons, lances being his favorites. However, Marcus is more concerned with training Lowen to be his successor than actual fighting. He follows his lord, Eliwood, faithfully and would go with him to the end of the world if it meant Eliwood's safety._

_---_

_­_"So, Lowen, where did you say the pirates were?" Eliwood walked along with his retainers as they continued on the cobblestone path. Blood still stained his clothes and armor since he was in too much of a rush to worry about hygiene.

"They should be right in front of us…" Lowen looked up and stopped. "Yep. There they are." The cavalier looked at the leader, a tall, muscled man with a bandanna around his head. "Are you the leader, Fargus?"

"No!" The man with the bandanna laughed. "My name's Dart! I'm his right-hand man! I assume you're the man who's looking for passage?"

Lowen cracked a smile. "Nope. I'm just the guy's right-hand man. The person who's looking for passage is him." He cocked a thumb back at Eliwood. "The prince of Pherae, Lord Eliwood."

Dart let out a booming laugh, his hands on his hips. "Hahahaha! That little shrimp? Look, boy, titles don't mean nothing to pirates!"

Eliwood stepped up. "And braggarts who only boast without proof don't mean anything to me."

"Why you-!" Dart reached for a small hand axe that was tied to his waist, but someone stopped him. Dart turned around. "Fargus!"

Eliwood looked at the new man. He was _tall_, even taller than Dart. The head pirate had a beard of white stubble around his mouth and wore an off-white bandanna. Fargus stretched and cracked a couple of his knuckles.

"Hahaha! I like a man who can stand up for himself!" Fargus guffawed and held out his hand to Eliwood. The lord cautiously took it. "The prince of Pherae, huh? Can't say I've ever had the honor of transporting someone of your rank on my ship!" Fargus' eyes glinted. "Granted, the people who _wanted _passage were weaklings who had no business being on the throne anyway."

Eliwood smiled grimly. "I see…Perhaps you'll find me a little…_tougher_ than those you've faced earlier." Eliwood removed his hand from Fargus' grip.

"Perhaps…But let's talk business first. You want passage to Valor Isle, right?"

"Yes." Eliwood nodded.

Fargus scratched his beard. "Here are the terms. You can pay me twenty-thousand gold…Each-!"

"WHAT?" Marcus gripped his sword. "Milord! Let's just run these cretins through and take the ship for ourselves!"

"Oh? And who's going to steer it, old-timer? You? Don't make me laugh!" Fargus scoffed. "You didn't let me finish. OR, you beat me in hand-to-hand combat. First one knocked to the ground wins." Fargus patted his muscles. "Think you have a chance, small fry?"

Eliwood unhooked his sword sheath and tossed it to Marcus, going into a fighting stance. "I'm ready when you are."

"Okay then! Dart! Do what you do best!" Fargus yelled at Dart, who signaled to the rest of the pirates, which formed a ring around Eliwood and his opponent. "I _would_ trust that you'll keep this a fair match…But pirates don't trust anyone. Boys? Disarm his friends."

"Get offa me!" Lowen threw his sheathed weapons at the pirates and jumped off of his horse, grumbling angrily. Marcus did the same.

"Good! Ready, Eliwood? I believe it's time to dance!" Fargus made the first move, a quick jab with his left that was aimed for the lord's stomach. Eliwood just stood there and let the blow hit. Fargus's fist crashed against Eliwood's armor and the pirate leaped back with a curse.

"I don't think you never said that armor was prohibited." Eliwood smiled. "Let's go!" The prince rushed the pirate, faking with his left. Fargus fell for the trick and Eliwood swept his left foot against the pirate's legs, hoping to knock the big man down. However, while he did cause the pirate to stumble, Eliwood didn't succeed in his plan and soon they were both steady on their feet, watching each other warily.

"Nice trick, boy. But can you compete with pure muscle?" Fargus attacked again, channeling all of his might into his left fist, which crashed into the armor again. However, this time, the strike was powerful enough to knock Eliwood backwards. "Armor isn't all that it's cracked up to be!" Fargus rubbed his sore fist.

'_Shit!'_ Eliwood stumbled backwards from the blow, feeling himself start to fall. Acting quickly, he stopped his fall with his hand and slowly pushed himself up. Eliwood winced at the close call and looked up. "Nice…You truly are strong…"

"I'm one of the strongest pirates in all of the land! Give up, sissy boy?"

The pirates around them laughed, cheering on their leader. Eliwood heard a couple of men moan. Apparently, some of the pirates had bet that he would win. Eliwood shook his head. Well, they were going to be very rich people after this.

"I never give up!" Eliwood charged again, swinging his first at Fargus' head. Fargus brought up his arm and deflected the blow. The prince lashed out with his other fist, only to have his arm blocked again. Eliwood jumped backwards to compose himself before going on the offensive again. He struck swiftly and powerfully, but he couldn't seem to find a way past Fargus' guard. That is, until he thought of something.

Eliwood looked up from the fight and located where Marcus and Lowen were located. Luckily for him, they were in the front ring, a little bit in front of him. Eliwood smirked and continued his barrage, even though his arms and legs were aching like crazy. Slowly, he pushed Fargus backwards with his furious assault, towards Lowen and Marcus. The purple-haired paladin realized what his lord was doing and nudged his pupil. Lowen nodded in understanding.

Slowly, as Fargus was being pushed towards them, Marcus slowly stuck out his foot. Eliwood smiled and lashed out at Fargus one last time. The pirate stepped backwards, hitting Marcus' foot. The pirate tripped, stumbled…And righted himself. Eliwood's heart sank. That was the main plan and it had failed.

"Gwahahaha! Didn't think I wouldn't see that coming, did you?" Fargus laughed.

"I bet." Eliwood saw another chance and threw out his left fist at Fargus' face. The elder pirate quickly moved to block it, except he was at the wrong spot. Eliwood quickly changed the direction of his blow and hit the pirate straight in the stomach, pushing the pirate back and right over Eliwood's foot as he hooked it behind one of Fargus' legs.

With his hands in that awkward position, the pirate couldn't stop himself from crashing on the ground. Fargus crashed on the ground, wearing a surprised look on his face. Eliwood breathed a sigh of relief and sat on the ground, resting his feet and hands. Fargus slowly pushed himself up, laughing.

"I never knew you had it in you! Congrats, Eliwood! You've won passage on my ship!" Fargus stretched, groaning. "I haven't had a workout like that since…forever, really!" He held out a hand for Eliwood, smiling broadly. Eliwood grinned and took it.

_---_

"So, what's so important on this Valor Isle anyway?" Fargus looked at Eliwood as they leaned over the wooden rails of the ship. Eliwood blinked and turned to Fargus.

"I never thought a pirate would be interested in my life story."

Fargus let out a chuckle. "It gets boring once we set sail and another story to share among the crew is like gold. Sometimes nothing beats a good tale to listen to under the wide, blue sky."

"I see…" Eliwood nodded. "Very well. I'll tell you the reason I'm going to Valor Isle." Eliwood gave a sigh.

"You're not going to go at this like an old geezer who went through a lot of pain, are you?" Fargus cocked an eye at the young lord, who laughed derisively.

"No! No! However, I did go through a lot of pain. Emotional pain, but pain nonetheless."

"I understand." Fargus nodded. "Well, let me hear your story."

"You've heard about the death of my father, I assume? Lord Elbert?"

"Well, yeah. Who hasn't?"

"The reports say that my father died of a heart attack. That isn't true…I can say that with absolute certainty." Eliwood folded his hands on the railing.

"Really? What makes you so sure?"

"I was there when he died. It was no heart attack. It was actually during an expedition to Valor Isle where he died. He, I, my friends, as well as his knights, the Knights of Pherae, were exploring the island to see if it would be useful to annex and settle. And it was. Rich mineral deposits, nice and slightly tropical, lots of fruit and good farmland…Valor Isle was like paradise." Eliwood gave a sigh. "As we continued in our search, we uncovered vast ruins in the middle of the island, near a dormant volcano."

"What was in the ruins?"

"It was like an entire castle was there, with room to spare! The ruins were gigantic! They were old, too. Ivy crept along the walls and moss covered the steps. There were cracks in the stones and in some parts, the ceiling had completely collapsed. Of course, it wasn't all just stone and weeds. In many rooms, there were tons of old, moldy tomes of magic and history. Some of them turned to ash the moment we touched them. Others shot blasts of magical fire at us. And then, we came to the final chamber. Inside, there was a huge portal that towered around…at least…fifty meters!"

Fargus' eyes widened. "What happened next?"

"Suddenly, out of nowhere, a huge blast of dark magic appeared and slaughtered half of the knights! Nothing remained of them. Their armor, their horses, their weapons, their blood….All gone. Nothing left. And then three…Or four people appeared. They called themselves the 'Maker of the Infinite'. Hmph. Just like power-hungry people to come up with a lofty handle for themselves. Their names were Nergal, Sonia, Ephidel, and Limstella." Eliwood shook with restrained anger. "And then they blasted the rest of the knights away! With just a single spell! It was terrifying! To see people that you've worked with, that you've become friends with, killed in less than a minute!"

"I know…"

"My father rushed them, swearing vengeance on behalf of their souls. I and my friends attacked as well. Between me and my friends, Hector and Lyn, we managed to hold off all of them. Except for Nergal. My father attacked ferociously! Using his chain-sword, he almost had defeated that bastard! Then Nergal started laughing! Laughing of all things! While he was still constrained by the sword, he drew a dagger and stabbed my father straight in the chest! While that may not have killed him, Nergal said a couple of words and suddenly the dagger pulsed with unholy light. And a couple of seconds later…My father…" Eliwood let out a sob. "He…He exploded! I know it sounds hard to believe! But…right in front of my eyes, his body exploded and disappeared! I…I couldn't believe it! I was all set, right then and there, to send my sword straight through Nergal's neck! But that fucking coward disappeared!"

"…"

"I…I couldn't save my father! He was right in front of me! Dammit! Damn it all!" Eliwood slammed his fist onto the railing angrily.

"And that's why you want to go back?"

"No…Well, that's part of it. Afterwards, Hector, Lyn, and I returned back home. I…well…They say I was pretty messed up afterwards. And frankly, I was. I would beat myself up for my failure. Blaming myself. Committing suicide seemed like a shining light in this stupid, dark world. But…My friends pulled me out of it. Mostly it was Ninian…My girlfriend. We planned to get married someday and she said she wouldn't marry a depressing, angst-filled person like me." Eliwood let out a slight chuckle. "That set me straight. And just when I thought life could continue…I heard word that Pherae had been attack. I was staying in Ostia, you see."

"What happened?"

"That bastard Nergal killed my mother too! I…I wouldn't believe it at first! I traveled to Pherae as quickly as I could. And, when I got there…The main city was mostly unharmed…But the castle, my family castle…It was destroyed. Shattered. You wouldn't be able to tell it was a castle. The stones were melted and the walls destroyed. The people said there were no survivors." Eliwood gave a sigh. "That pushed me over the edge again. But I recovered and here I am today, heading for Valor Isle to find that little bitch and kill him."

Fargus shook his head sadly. "That's quite a tale you have there." He looked into the horizon. "It looks like we're going to be reaching the island soon. I'd hate to have you go there with only you and your two vassals, so I'm going to lend you a little help. Mind you, I want him back." He turned. "Oy! Dart! Get yer ass over here!"

"Yes, captain!" Dart rushed to the captain's side as fast as possible.

"I want you to accompany Eliwood on his little quest. He might need your help and you're one of the best pirates on this ship." Fargus patted Dart on the back. "Get your stuff packed. We'll be waiting for you when you get back."

"Aye, aye, sir!" Dart dashed to his cabin, thinking of what stuff he should bring.

"Thank you for your trouble, Fargus."

"No trouble at all. Dart's been getting kind of restless. Something like this should be a boon to him." Fargus smiled. "Besides, I want you coming back whole. I still owe you a rematch."

Eliwood smiled as well. "Thank you! And when I come back, you'll be getting that rematch! Although you won't win!"

_---_

_**Elbert's Chain Sword - Splitting Dragon**_

_Elbert's weapon, the chain sword was destroyed along with Elbert. The weapon is mainly mechanical and it has to be, due to the fact that it would be remarkably easy for a part of the sword to fall off. The chain sword is an extremely versatile weapon, allowing for long ranged attacks as well as ones up close. A chain sword looks like a real sword at first, but with the press of a small button on the bottom of the hilt, a latch is released and the sword turns into a whip-like weapon._

_Each link in the sword is capable of dealing horrendous looking wounds and the torturing qualities of this weapon are renowned. However, while this weapon is adept with trick attacks and pure power, it suffers extreme deficiencies in terms of durability and maintenance. A weapon such as this must be cared for almost daily due to its fragile nature._

_**Lowen's Chain Sword - Soaring Heaven**_

_Lowen carries a chain sword as well. It is more like a memorial to Lord Elbert rather than a true weapon because Lowen rarely ever uses it in combat. Its design and function are almost exact to Lord Elbert's. Lowen is still unskilled with this type of weapon, which may explain why it is never seen in battle. _

_Lowen's chain sword differs from Elbert's in the fact that there's two extra buttons on the weapon, both of top of the cross guard. Why they are there and what purpose they serve, no one knows, but they are there for a reason. Lowen's sword is sturdier and more durable than the traditional chain sword, but it is also weaker and slightly shorter than the traditional chain sword as well. _

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Chris: Foom. The chain sword. A new weapon for Fire Emblem. And yes, you'll see it in action. Review please and tell me whatcha think.

Oh, and if you've played Soul Caliber II, Lowen's chain sword is nothing like it.


	3. Eliwood’s Tale: Part 3, Friendship

Chris: Here's the next one. Yep, yep. Eliwood finally lands on Dread Isle.

**Min the Noodle: **Thanks for the compliment! I'm glad you liked the fight scene. Tried my best with that. First try at writing hand-to-hand combat. And I won't forget about my other stuff. There's a huge paper on my keyboard that says, "UPDATE YOUR STORIES!"

**Lao Who Mai: **Glad you like it! And yeah, Lowen's chain sword acts nothing like Ivy's. Also, Lowen has barely any experience with the thing.

**Northernsword (x2): **Yep, I have SSBM. Roy is awesome. Marth…isn't. Too bad Roy sucks in FE. He's worse than his father, which says a lot. And in this fic, mounted units will not fight on their mounts. It gives them sort of a disadvantage, unless they fight with swords.

**Spingleburt: **Thanks. And how dare you say they're short! Well, maybe they're kind of short….But they're freaking taller than me! I'm only 5' 7" myself. Bah! One day the short people will get tired of short jokes and rebel against the world! Or something. I say bah again! Just kidding. We aren't planning to take over the world. Yet, at least. But I'll adjust the heights, okay?

Disclaimer: Don't own Fire Emblem.

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**Eliwood's Tale: Part 3, Friendship**

_**Name: **Dart Tilian  
__**Age:** 19  
__**Height: **6' 0"  
__**Blood Type: **B  
__**Threat Rating: **C_

_**Background: **_

_A pirate from the ranks of Fargus' crew, his name is known far and wide in port towns. A ferocious brawler, he often picks fights in seedy bars and is always the victor. He idolizes Fargus and often tries to act like him. He's even growing his own beard and mustache that he hopes will rival his captain's. Strong in soul, body, and willpower, Dart is a tower of strength for those in Fargus' crew. Unfortunately, he's really fond of strong drink and will go out of his way just to get a pint. This has led to a couple of bounties on his head, but that's insignificant compared to the entire bounty placed on Fargus' pirate crew for raids on Bern shipping._

_**Ultimate Techniques: **Sea God, Loot and Haul_

_---_

"So this is Dread Isle…" Dart hooked his fingers into the sides of his pants and looked around. "Not much of an exciting place, huh?" The pirate adjusted his bandanna and felt for the twin axes that were strapped to his back.

"Be wary. I'm certain Nergal is watching us right now." Eliwood kept his hand on his sword, looking around warily.

_---_

And in fact, Nergal is indeed watching the young lord. As well as a couple of other… 'unwelcome' visitors to his island. He contemplated erasing them from the face of the island with a single blast but he decided to not reveal himself just yet. Besides, he needed them to come. Eliwood for his fury, Dart for his strength, Lowen for his resolve, and Marcus for his experience. All would be good offerings for the being he planned to summon. But what he needed most resided with the other group. A young dragon of extraordinary power.

"Ephidel! Limstella! Sonia!" Nergal yelled and three beings warped to locations behind him. All had long, black hair and piercing golden eyes.

"At your service, master." The only male out of the three, Ephidel was wrapped in robes of black, his hood partially covering his face. Tall and foreboding, Ephidel was the one out of the three that focus with trickery and sneak attacks. He wore a small smirk on his face as he toyed with a small tome that was in his hands.

"What is your desire?" Limstella, the one with the expressionless face, stood to the side, wearing magic robes as well. However, hers were not all cast in black. The sleeves were white and when you looked at her from a distance, she looked like a doll. Limstella was the strongest out of the three, which earned her the position of being in charge of defense and magical barriers.

"Make it quick!" Sonia, the last of the three, tossed back her curly black hair. Aggressive and seductive, she was the one Nergal turned to for those that needed to be convinced…in a special type of way. The woman wore a very revealing dress, used only for the purpose of alluring others. She was a magic user as well and often used her talents in conjunction with her beauty to accomplish her deeds.

"Looks like they're coming. And they've brought the prize. Limstella, go and retrieve Ninian from Hector's group. It should be no problem for you." Nergal pointed to her and Limstella nodded, disappearing. "Ephidel! Your assignment should be to your liking. You see, I'd like it if Hector and Eliwood were to…encounter each other. After Limstella gets Ninian, I'd like you to spin a little deceiving magic and have Hector and Eliwood fight. I don't hold any illusions that your spell will last, but I have faith that you'll be able to succeed."

Ephidel smirked. "No problem, milord." He bowed before disappearing.

"And Sonia? Stick with Limstella and help her out. Make sure that they don't stop Limstella from coming here." Nergal smirked. "I'm certain you can succeed. If you want to play around with them, go right ahead."

"Right away." Sonia smiled and warped away. Nergal turned and walked towards an open window. He folded his hands and looked outside, smiling.

_---_

"Sir! I hear something approaching!" Lowen said.

"What? Where?" Eliwood drew his sword and looked around. Marcus and Lowen both jumped off of their horses since it would be stupid to fight in a jungle on top of a horse. Dart flipped his axes from their places on his belt and roared a battle cry. Eliwood turned and glared at the pirate.

"That's a great way for people to tell where we are." Eliwood muttered.

"Hmph." Dart shrugged and focused his senses. He trained his hearing to all around him and pinpointed the location of the noise. "From the north! Eliwood, watch out!"

"Huh?" Eliwood spun around, only to see a black-haired woman leap from the trees. His eyes widened as he saw that the woman was carrying a smaller figure with her, a girl with sky-blue hair. "Ninian!"

"Mmph!" Ninian struggled to speak, but the black-haired woman clamped her hand over Ninian's mouth.

"Get her!" Eliwood pointed his sword at the woman and charged at her. The woman stared at the lord.

"I am Limstella. And I am tired of hearing a puppy barking like it was a dog." She unleashed a blast from magic from her fingers and launched Eliwood across the small field, causing the lord to crash into a tree. "Farewell." Limstella went back to running, Ninian still struggling in her grip.

"Urgh…" Eliwood struggled upwards, helped by Marcus and Lowen. "Dammit! That was Ninian! We need to go after Limstella! Now!" Eliwood shook his head angrily. "I remember that name! She was one of the people who…who helped kill my father! I want her head!" Eliwood and his party were about to chase after the woman when two other figures burst out of the trees.

"I finally found you, bastards!" A tall, blue-haired man stopped in front of Eliwood, his armor clanking around him as he panted. "I'm going you kill you all!"

"Not without me, you aren't!" The second person, a young girl, pointed her sword at Eliwood's throat. "You'll pay for slaughtering my family!" The girl had long, green hair that was tied in a ponytail and she wore a dress that was commonly worn by people who lived on the plains.

"Hector? Lyn?" Eliwood stared at them, astonished. He shook his head rapidly, trying to shake himself out of the daze he was in. "What are you guys doing here?"

"You know why we're here!" Hector stood up and drew his axe. "You poisoned my brother and father! And then you tricked my populace into believing that I had done it!"

"And you ordered the assault on my village by the Taliver bandits! I won't ever forgive you for that!" Lyn shuddered angrily, tears falling out of her eyes. She swung her sword in the air once. "I will stake my life on this sword so I may strike you down!"

"What the hell are you talking about? It's me! Eliwood!" Eliwood backed away, confused.

"What kind of trickery are you playing now? I can see your true form, you bastard!" Hector swung a warhammer over his head and slammed it on the ground.

"Eliwood. Look at their eyes. I don't think they know what they're saying." Dart pointed at the two. Eliwood leaned in and got a closer look.

"Yeah, you're right. Good eyes, Dart." Eliwood backed away and drew his sword. Both Hector and Lyn seemed to be under some sort of spell that warped their visions to make them believe they were fighting their hated enemy. It didn't take much brain power to figure out who they believed they were attacking.

"Come on, Nergal, you bastard! Let's fight!" Hector slammed his warhammer onto the ground again.

"Uh…" Eliwood thought frantically. He didn't want to harm his friends at all, but it seemed that they wanted to hurt him. He had to find some way to even the odds somehow. "Two against one isn't really honorable! Let me bring in a friend of mine!"

Hector spat on the ground. "Hell! Looks like the bastard is afraid to die!"

Lyn grimaced and rapidly swung her sword, carving a symbol into the bark of a nearby tree. "Just like the coward he truly is! Fine! Bring in one of your lackeys! We'll kill you no matter how many people you bring against us!"

Eliwood groaned. The spell must have been strong to delude his strong-willed friends this much. He looked behind him. Marcus was standing at the ready with a spear at his side. Dart was flipped his two axes in the air, whistling jauntily. And Lowen was scuffing the ground with his boots, patting his sword.

"Lowen! Let's go!" He motioned to the green-haired boy and Lowen ran up, his face flushed with excitement. "Now remember, they're under a spell. Don't kill them! Small wounds are okay. But most importantly, try to knock them out!"

"Got it, sir!" Lowen nodded once and unsheathed his chain sword, Soaring Heaven.

Lyn and Hector looked at each other once before racing at Eliwood and Lowen, roaring battle cries.

_---_

Eliwood took out Durandal, not bothering to change the shape of his weapon. He needed it normal sized since it would be speed that would win this battle. Hector was a renowned fight known for his strength and his resilience. However, Eliwood knew he could dance circles around him.

"Just like when we used to spar!" Eliwood brought his sword up to counter the first strike of Hector's warhammer. He quickly used his momentum to push Hector backwards slightly and then he went on the offensive. He swung his sword at Hector's side and heard it cut against Hector's side. Eliwood hissed and willed the edges of the sword to be dull. He had forgotten about his rule to not hurt his friends.

"Bastard!" Hector yelled in rage and spun his warhammer in the air before slamming it hard on the ground, causing a large shockwave. Eliwood jumped over the shockwave, where he met Hector's gauntleted fist as it crashed into his face. The red-haired lord slammed into the ground, coughing up blood.

'_Ass…I didn't realize he would do that.'_ Eliwood wiped his bloody lips with his free hand and watched Hector closely. In his friend's slightly berserk state, he doubted if words would affect him. So, Eliwood just decided to do what he planned to do from the beginning. Give Hector a nice, big can of whoop ass and knock him out cold.

"I haven't finished with you!" Hector charged again, swinging his hammer in a wide arc around him. Eliwood judged the timing and ducked within the swing, appearing right in front of the lord. Then he decided to do something weird on the spur of the moment. Quickly dropping his sword, he ducked under Hector's swing again and quickly stuck a finger from each hand into his mouth. (A/N: Note that Eliwood is _not_ wearing gauntlets. He's bare-handed.)

As Hector recovered from the momentum of his swing, Eliwood sprang up.

"Hey Hector!" Eliwood smiled. Hector would hate him forever if he remembered that Eliwood had done this.

"What is it, bastard?" Hector brought his hammer of his head, ready to send it crashing on top of Eliwood's head.

"Wet Willy!" Eliwood stuck his spit-encrusted fingers into Hector's ears and wiggled them.

"ARGH!" Hector stumbled backwards, releasing his hammer and trying to wipe spit out of his ears. "You filthy bitch! I can't believe you did that!"

Eliwood chuckled to himself. "Sorry, Hector!" He swung his fist directly at Hector's face, sending the lord backwards and making him hit a tree. Eliwood walked over to Hector's unmoving body and nudged him with his foot. Hector gave a slight groan before falling into unconsciousness.

Eliwood smiled. "I always knew Hector could never stand a Wet Willy. I just can't believe he fell unconscious that quickly." He went back to his sword and picked it up. "I better go help Lowen."

_---_

"Urgh!" Lowen's sword clashed against Lyn's and the cavalier was pushed backwards. Moving quickly, he managed to deflect most of the blows directed against him, but one hit across his cheek and another slid through his armor and hit him on the arm.

Lowen was at an extreme disadvantage. He was slower that his foe and the only reason why he wasn't dead right now was because of the armor he was wearing. Add to the fact that his sword wasn't the strongest weapon in the world and you get the fact that he hadn't been able to hit Lyn once.

"You're such a weakling!" Lyn laughed before attacking again, striking with a quick uppercut slash that Lowen barely managed to block. Lowen grimaced as he was forced to block another attack of Lyn's. He hadn't been able to go on the offensive even _once_ in the whole battle. Granted, it had gone on for only a couple of minutes so far, but still! It was kind of embarrassing.

Lyn let out another laugh before appearing behind Lowen and striking him on the back. It did no damage, thanks to the durability of his armor, but it only showed Lowen that he was no match for Lyn's speed. Lyn jumped backwards, preparing herself for another attack on Lowen when the cavalier finally found his chance. She probably didn't realize what kind of sword he was holding.

Lowen quickly felt for the button on the bottom of his hilt and when he found it, he faced Lyn and pressed it. There was a small click and suddenly the blade split into five pieces, all of which were launched at Lyn in a straight line. Lyn's eyes widened and she jumped to the side, avoiding most of the blades, but the first one caught her across the arm, shredding the fabric of her dress.

"Not bad." Lyn said. "Not good, though." She ran towards Lowen, swinging her sword. Lowen brought the hilt up frantically, calling back the individual blades but he quickly saw that his sword wasn't going to reform itself in time to block Lyn's assault. He pointed the bottom of the sword hilt to the ground and pressed the two buttons on top of the hilt. The bottom of the hilt sprang open and a small, collapsible sword sprang out, which Lowen used to counter Lyn's sword strike.

"Another surprise!" Lyn smiled and backed up, analyzing this new threat. Lowen now carried a double-sided sword, something that was hard to control since it could not be counted on for slashes due to its nature. Lowen panted heavily. It was pure luck that he was able to bring out his secondary sword in time. He hated doing so, since it completely neutralized the point of having the chain part since the springs were not accessible.

"I'll take it from here." Eliwood smiled at Lowen before turning to Lyn. Lowen nodded gratefully and backed away, sweat falling from his head. Eliwood pointed his sword at Lyn and smirked.

"Nergal! You bastard! You finally come to fight, huh?" Lyn yelled angrily.

Eliwood just nodded while thinking about what Lyn hated most. Ah…He quickly remembered. She hated people hitting on her and pawing her flesh. Eliwood grimaced to himself. _Both_ of them were going to hate him after this. But it's for a good cause, so he had to do this. Making her unfocused would be the best way to take her out of the battle. He looked up at her and smiled his best smile, one that had earned him the affection of Ninian. "You know, Lyn, it's a shame that you are fighting me."

Lyn blinked, confused. "What?"

"You're such a beautiful creature…" Eliwood winced mentally. He really didn't want to say what was coming up next. "Perhaps…You'd like to be part of my little harem? I've got a lovely, revealing outfit that I set aside just for you."

Lyn blinked, standing extremely still. Her fingers started to twitch and there seemed to be a vein throbbing in her forehead. She let out a fierce yell and slammed her sword on the ground to vent some of her anger. "You. YOU. YOU! YOU BASTARD! HOW…HOW DARE YOU!"

Eliwood gulped. He had never seen Lyn this angry, and frankly, he never wanted to see her this angry ever again. Dart scratched his forehead and backed away slowly, looking uneasy.

"Um…Perhaps you shouldn't do that anymore, mate…"

"I know…" Eliwood backed away, also looking uneasy. Lyn was stomping towards him, completely forgetting about her sword, and by the look on her face, she didn't seem like she really needed it. He quickly motioned to Lowen, who slowly walked up behind her, careful not to alert her to his presence.

"NOBODY SAYS THAT TO ME! I'M GOING TO KILL YOU WITH MY BARE HANDS!" Lyn roared and jumped at Eliwood, wrapping her fingers around Eliwood's throat. Eliwood struggled against her, trying to pry her hands off.

Lowen, seeing the danger his lord of was in, quickly ran and smacked Lyn on the head with a tree branch, rendering her unconscious. Eliwood pushed her limp body off and weakly stood up.

"Wow…Ow…" Eliwood fell to the floor, breathing slowly. "I'm so tired…"

"She's a mighty fine lass, if I do say so myself, but boy, she's got quite the fiery temper!" Dart said, amazed.

"Yes…Yes she does…Whew…" Eliwood closed his eyes and let his mind wander. He was certain they would wake up soon and if he was lucky, they wouldn't remember _anything_ of what had happened. Actually, he also hoped that they wouldn't ask him how he got them out of their trances in the first place. Eliwood thought quickly. He would have to lie about that.

_---_

_**Dart's Twin Axes - Ocean and Sea **_

_Unlike most pirates, who use only one axe because they are not ambidextrous, Dart uses two of them. Dart has trained night and day with both arms, making them as strong as possible and learning to use them both well. However, he still doesn't have full control of both arms, so he doesn't use heavy weapons yet. However, his axes, Ocean and Sea, are lightweight, allowing him to use them both with ease. _

_One thing that differentiates the two weapons from normal axes are the patterns on the blade. Neither axe edge is a perfect curve. The edge of the axe Sea is shaped like its namesake, the sea. Slightly curving, it bobs up and down the length of the blade. As like Sea, Ocean's edge is designed after its name. Curved and pointed at many areas, it shows no mercy and is often a hazard to Dart as it is to his foes. Dart wields both of these axes with skill and he is often seen using these when on the high seas, beating back boarding parties or merchant guards._

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Chris: Ahem, yeah. This is like the humor chapter of it all. Cause I needed to find a way for Eliwood to defeat Hector and Lyn without seriously hurting them. So he comes up with ingenious and slightly stupid ways of catching them off guard.

And you see Lowen's chain sword in action! He knows more tricks with it than just shooting out the blades, but that's all you'll see in this chapter. When I write his tale, then you'll see all of his tricks.

Review please!


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